IBM launched a new program intended to mentor and energize students to innovate using IBM Cloud technologies. The program, called the Academic Initiative for Cloud, will create cloud development curricula using Bluemix, IBM’s platform-as-a-service, in over 200 universities, reaching more than 20,000 students in 36 countries.

The company also announced a series of industry Hackathons reaching tens of thousands of new developers and a set of diversity programs for women coders, all based on Bluemix, aimed at creating innovative hands-on experiences that propel radical ideas and innovation in cloud application development.

“Putting Bluemix in the hands of today’s and tomorrow’s innovators creates the opportunity to foster a new generation of talent in cloud application development," said IBM general manager for cloud ecosystem and developers, Sandy Carter. "Our commitment to provide deep cloud expertise to programs aimed at future cloud developers from academics to professionals is necessary to sustain the growth our industry forecasts.”

Starting this fall, universities around the world will commence more than 250 courses and programs that will utilize educational materials, technologies and methodologies from IBM with a focus on using Bluemix in a variety of courses ranging from computer science, information technology, analytics and data science to mobile and entrepreneurship. The list of over 200 marquee institutions includes Ben Gurion University (Israel), Carnegie Mellon University, Imperial College of Science (England), International Institute of Information Technology (India),National College of Ireland, National University of Singapore, and University of California Berkeley.

Faculty members will receive 12 months of access to the Bluemix trial for themselves as well as up to six months access for students in their program. Both faculty and student accounts are renewable and do not require a credit card.

IBM is also working with Girls Who Code to introduce the next generation of women developers to cloud innovation by hosting a class of female high-school students in New York City for a seven-week summer immersion program. For 2016, IBM has committed to further expand its relationship with the organization to support additional programs in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin, alongside continued support for the New York City summer immersion program.

IBM also said it is collaborating with GSVlabs on the ReBoot Accelerator for Women, a program designed to help women become current, connected, and confident as they return to work after a multi-year sabbatical. IBM will host several instructional sessions that will focus on cloud development using Bluemix, aimed at demystifying coding and making it more approachable. IBM will also be providing mentorship and assistance with job placement strategies in hopes of attracting more women back to the workplace, including at IBM.